Positioning device for car couplers



Jan. 1, 1929. I 1,696,981

.A. E. SMALL POSITIONING DEVICE FOR CAR COUPLERS Original Filed June 16, 19`26 l 3.9 46 44 43 fnveno /47 ,dri/Lul' SJn F11-9.1,?, H9214 Fig. 13 lor/uy Patented Jan. l, 1929.

irse srrss PATENT OFFICE. s

ARTHUR E. SMALL, F CHICAGO, ILLINOISfASSIGNOR T0 UNION METAL PRODUCTS COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

POSITIONING DEVICE FOR CAR COUPLERS.

Original application filed .Tune 16, 1926, Serial No. 116,408.

Serial No. 229,657.

This device relates to means for automatically positioning the couplery of a railway car by gravity. f i

Two railway cars are automatically coupled together by the movement of their respective couplers forcing the tails of the pivoted knuckles behind gravity locks. The couplers are mounted in the cars so as to permit a limited amount of lateral movement. Such limitation is necessary and essential because if the couplers were allowed to move too far to either side, the couplers of the two cars' being coupled would pass each other and not couple, thereby defeating the object of the automatic coupler. The greater the lateral movement of a coupler the less side pressure on the striking casting when the cars are going yaround curves. This lateral pressure forces the wheel flanges against the rail causing considerable friction and wearing of the rails and Wheels.

One of the objects of the invention is to increase the amountof vpermissible lateral movement of a coupler by providing automatic means for returning the couplers to the longitudinal center of the car or at least close enough thereto so that the ,automatic couplers will couple. This is what is termed the coupling range.

It is very 7often necessary to couple cars on curves and frequently when the radius Of the curve is very small, as is common around industrial plants, the couplers of the two cars will be so far out of alignment that they will not automatically couple. Another ob `iect of the invention is to automatically bring such couplers within coupling range.k The outside rail of a curved track is'raised above the inside rail and I provide means whereby the coupler is moved toward the inside of the curve by gravity. This automatic gra.v ity means also returns the coupler to the longitudinal center of the car when the car moves from the curved to th-e straight part of the track.

In my device the lateral movement between the coupler and the carrier is eliminated, thus reducing friction and consequent wear on the parts. This is quite an item particulai-ly in sandy countries because couplers are costly and the replacement of a coupler means keeping the car out of service.

Coupler positioning devices reduce the number of broken knuckles and guard arms Divided and this application filed October 29,

on couplers which members are frequently bent or broken when the couplers are not within coupling range. Such devices also reduce the number of accidents to trainmen as they are not required to go between the cars and position the coupler preparatory to coupling.

A common form of car coupler positioning device comprises a coupler carrier swingably suspended by links from some part of the car so that the objects and advantages mentioned above are obtained and my invention is `an improvement upon such devices and consist in providing a shiftable bearing construction to increase the eccentricity of the weight of the coupler (and its associated parts) about its point of support, thus increasing the resultant force tending to return the coupler to the longitudinal center of the car (or away therefrom whenthe car is tipped.) I accomplish this result without necessarily incr-easing the vertical rise of the coupler. This is important because the A. It. A. standard dimension only permits 2% vert-ical rise of the coupler.

In my device the coupler carrier is swingably suspendedr from any convenient part of the car by a link at each of its ends and is provided with means such as lugs to pre vent lateral mov-ement of the coupler relative thereto. At least one of these links has spaced apart portions both supporting the link (and its load) when it is in its normal central position. When the carrier swings in one direction, one of the portions moves away from its support, thus shifting the load upon that link entirely to the other portion. A similar action takes place when the carrier swings in the opposite direction. It is preferable that the carrier maintain a horizontal position at all times, which is accomplished by arranging the links sor that a vertical line passing through the pivot connection of the link bisects the distance between the spaced apart portions of the link. Then the shiftable bearing construction is used at both ends of a link.y the parts are arranged so that a vertical line bisects the distances between the pairs of spaced apart elements.

The shiftable bearing construction may be used on one or both ends of one or both links. It may be used to function on one link when the carrier moves in one direction and upon Cil end of one 'link to function when the linkV swings in either direction. Further-more, the sliiftable bearing construction may be arranged with contacting points or lines between the link and car part or between the link and the carrier, but a journaled bearing is preferable to provide greater bearing area. ln a journaled arrangement, the ournal may be on the car part and the journal bearing on the link or vice versa, or in fact, the link inay'have a journal-and a. j our-nal bear-ingengaging ournal bearing and ournal, respectively, on the car part.

Another object is to `form si' li a link that it automatically stabilizes itself and the device against movement or' the coupler longitudinally oit the car, and, furthermore, to proportion such a link that it may be formed from a commercially rolled rectangular steel bar.

ln the drawings:

Fig; l shows a typical application oi my device to a railway car.

Fig. Qis a section online 2 2 of Fig. l.

F 3 is a side elevation-ot` Fig. l;

Figs. l and' 5 are skeleton diagrams showing,` the device, respectively in normal position and with the carrier moved laterally.

Fig. 6 is a detail oi' the carrier.

Fig. 7 is a det-ail of the link.

Fig. 8 shows a modified form of the link.

Fig. 9 is a section on line 9 9 of Fig. 8.

l0 and l1 are skeleton diagrams showing a modilied forni o'l' the device, respectively when the carrier is in normal position and with the carrier movedv laterally.

Fig. 12 is aV detail of the link shown in Figs. lO and 1l.

Figs. 118 and 14' show modilied forms of the link shown in Fig. l2.

lny they arrangementshown in Figs. 1 to 9,

inclusive, the double bearing construction is used at the lower ends of the links and the upper ends of the' links are pivoted aft a part o't the car. A journaled constructionv is shown. 1When they coupler Q is in its norn a central position as shown in Fig. 1)'tlie journal bca/ring 3 on the carrier Llengr gres the journal 5 on' the link (i and at the come time the journal bearing` on the link engages the journal 8 on the carrier. lfhcn the coupler moves distance A to the right (as shown in Fi the journal bearing 3 on the right ond of the carrier moves awa-y from the journal 55 on the link so that the right end volf the carrier is entirely supported by the journal 8 of the carrier resting upon the journal bearing 7 of the link.

rlhe eccentricity or lever arin of the load on this link is the horizontal distance C between parallel vertical planes lll-li passing. respectively, through the upper pivot` ik? and the Contact line between the ournal S on the carrier and the journal bearing 7 on the link. .llt the same time the ournal 13 on the left end ot the carrier moves away from the journal bearing'` Ll on the link sothat the lett endoi the car ier is entirely supported by the journal bearing l5 of the carrierrestingl upon the journal 16 off thelink. The eccentricity of the load on this link is the horizontal. distance l5 between. parallel vertical plenos llMlS, one of which passes through the upper pivot 19 and the other of which passes through the contact line between the journal bearing l5 of the carrier andthe journal 16 of the link. There is no eccentricity when the device is iniiormal position because a vertical plane 30 passing;` through the upper pivot l2 passes between the two contactingv lines 3 5 and 7-8 of the connection between the link and the carrier. Of course, the link could be reversed and still obtainy the desired results, i. e., the carrier could be pivoted to the link and the double bearing construction used between the link and the car part.

ln the usual center-ing' device link, which is pivoted at both ends, the ecceiniicity ofV the load upon the link is equal to lateral swing (A) of the carrier, but in my arrangement this eccentricity is increased by one-halt`f the distance betweenl the spaced apart beari In other words, when the carrier moves die tance A (Fig. 5) bot-h B anc C greater than A71 s This shittingvv of the bearing nieves the center of the eil'ective radius of the link and the parts may be so proportioned. as to main.- tain the saine radius or to increase or decrease it, as desired. ln any event, however, the eccentricity of the load' about its support is increased. Decrcasingtho effective radius increases the vertical rise of the carie-r in a given amount oil lateral movement, while increasing` the ecctive radius decreases the said' rise. rlhe eieetive radii of the right and left link, respectively, are shown at D and E in Fig. 5.

Fig. @shows the carrier ofthe form shown inFigs. 1-5,incl1l o. The semi-cylindrical projections form rhe journals S-l'-l andl the semifcylindrical depressions 3-15 1l )rin the journal bearings.

Fig. 7 shows thc link 5 ot' Figs. l. lo 5, inf elusive, in detail'. The upper hook 21 enga 4 sv the pivot l2 and is made wide to stabilise the link. The lower hook 22 forms the doul'ile bearing construction wherein the inside of the hook forms the ournal bearing 7 and its end4 is rounded to-form a journal 5. As the load is sometimes applied at the end' of this lower hook (the journal) itmust be quite strong through thev open part of `the hook which is accomplished by increasing its vertical thickness at the desired place. The horizoi'ital width is proportionately des creased so that the link may be made oi a commercially rolled rectangular bar by simply squeezing it into the desired varying width and varying depth and then forming the hooks.

lhen the link is made from a metallic bar it may be strengthened and stitfened by an integral rib or corrugation 23 which extends through the major part of the hook and terminates (24) within the bar so las not to interfere with the journal. 1f a hook is merely used to engage a pivot the rib may extend through the entire hook. This corrugation also reinforces the shank 25 when possible, as shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 9 shows the rib.

Fig. Il shows the device when the coupler is in normal position and Fig. shows the device with the coupler moved laterally. in these figures the immaterial parts of the car have been omitted.

Figs. 10-13, inclusive, show a modification wherein the double bearing construction is used on both ends of the links 39. rlhe action at the bottom of the link is the same as heretofore described, and a similar action takes place at the top of the link. then the carrier moves a distance F (Fig. 11) to the right the journal bearing 31 on the upper end of the right link leaves the journal 32 on the car part (33) thus shifting the entire load on this link to its upper journal 34 which is supported by the journal bearing 35 on the car part. At the same time, the journal 36 on the upper end of the left link leaves the journal bearing 37 on the car part 33, thus shifting the entire load on the left link to its journal bearing 38which is supported by the journal 49 on the car part.

The eccentricity of the load on the link is the horizontal distance between parallel vertical planes, one of which (40) passes through the contact line of the car part and the link and the other of which (41) passes through the Contact line of the link and the carrier. ln the usual centering device link, which is pivoted atboth ends, the eccentricity of the load upon the link is equal to the lateral swing F of the carrier, but with this twofold double bearing arrangement the eccentricity is increased by half the distance between cach pair of spaced apart bearings. ln other words, `when the carrier moves a distance F (Fig. 11) both G and H are greater than F There is no eccentricity when the device is in normal position because a vertical plane passes between the upper spaced apart portions 31-32 and 3&35 and also passes between the lower spaced apart portions 3-5 and 7 3.

Fig. 12 shows the link 39 of the form shown in Figs. 10 and 11. Figs. 13 and 14 show a link VLi3 and 44 with the hook ends.

bent in opposite directions. ln Fig. 14 a vertical plane (e5) passes through the opposite journal bearings L ir-624:7, while in Fig. 13 a vertical plane (48) passes midway between the journal and journal bearing at each end of the link, or broadly speaking, the spaced apart portions.

There are certain advantages to be obtained by arranging the spaced apart portions of the link so that one of them is out of contact when the coupler is in normal position, but which functions after a predetermined amount of swing of the link. `Such a construction is covered by application for patent Serial No. 116,406, filed June 16, 1926.

In the device covered by this application the load is shifted from one bearing toanother by the lateral movement of the carrier. There are certain advantages in having a gradual shifting of the bearing which are accom plishe'd by a rolling engagement between the link and the car part or carrier) which is covered by application for patent Serial No. 116,407, filed June 16, 1926. y

This is a division of my conpending application Serial No. 116,408, .filed June 16, 1926.

The accompanying dra-wings illust-rate the preferred form of the invention, though it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, as it is obvious that various modifications thereof within the scope of the claims will occur to persons skilled in the art.

l claim:

1. In a railway car; the combination of a car part element, a. coupler carrier element, and a pair of links swingably suspending the opposite ends of the carrier thereto, said links having` an inwardly proj ect-ing hook at each end thereof, the ends of the hooks forining journals engageable with bearings in the car part and carrier, respectively, the hooks at the upper ends of the links being wider than the lowerl hooks.

2. In a railway car; the combination of a car part, a coupler carrier, and a. pair of links swingably suspending the opposite ends of the carrier thereto, each of said links comprising a shank with a hook at each end forming a journal bearing, one of said hooks being relatively wider and relatively thinner than the other of said hooks, the ends of the hooks forming ournals engageable with bearings in the oar part and carrier, respectively, and the inside of said hooks forming bearings engageable with journals in the car part and carrier, respectively.

3. As an article of manufacture, a link for a car coupler positioning device comprising a shank with a hook at each end forming a journal bearing with each end rounded to form a journal, one of said hooks being relatively wider than the other of said hooks.

1. As an article of manufacture, a link for a car coupler positioning device comprising a shank with a hook at each end forming a journal bearing with each end rounded to forni a journal, one of said hooks being)` rel-atively Wider and relatively t-hinner than the other' of said hooks.

5. As an article of inanuaeture, a link for a car coupler positioning device comprising` a shank with a hook at each end 'forming a journal bearing with each end rounded to forni ay journal, one or said hooks being` relatively Wider and relatively thinner than the other ot said hooks, the cross sectional areas of the link bein-g' equa-l to each other.

6. As an article 0i" manufacture, a link 'for a ear coupler positioning device comprising' a Ishank with a yhook at each end, one of said hooks being relatively Wider than tbe other oi said hooks.

7. As an article of inanufaeture, a link for a car coupler positioning` device comprising` a shank with a hook at each end, one of said hooks being relatively Wider and relatively thinner than the other of said hooks.

8. In a railway car; the con'ibination of a ear ele'inent, a` Coupler carrier eleinent, and a pair of links swingably suspending` the opposite ends of the carrier thereto, said links having a hook at each end thereof, the ends of the hooks forming journals engageable with bearings in the car part and Carri r, respectively, the hook at one end oi' each link 'being relatively Wider than the hook at the other end of the saine link.

9. ln a railway car; the combination of a ear element, a coupler carrier eleinent, and a pair of links swingably suspending` the opposite endsof the carrier thereto, said links having :1 y hook at each end thereof, the ends of the hooks forming jmirnalsI engageable With bearings in the car part and carrier, respectively, the hook at one end of each link being relatively ividerand` relatively thinner than the hook at the other end ot the saine link.

lO. In a railway ear; the combination of a car element, ay coupler carrier element, and a pair of links swingably suspending the opposite ends of the carrier thereto, said links having` a hook at each end thereof, the hook at one end et each link beingY relatively wider than the hook at the other end of the saine link.

ll. In a railway ear; the combination of a ear element, a coupler carrier element, and a )air ot' links swing/ably suspendingthe opposite ends of the carrier thereto, said links raving a hoek at each end thereof, the hook at one end ot' each link being relatively Wider and relatively thinner than the hook at the other end of the saine link.

l2. ln a. railway ear; the combination of a ear part, a coupler carrier, and a pair e links swingably suspending the opposite ends of the carrier thereto, each ol said links coinprising a shank with ay hook at each end iiorniing a ournal bearing, one of said hooksl being relatively Wider than the other of said looks, the ends et the hooks forming journals engageable With bearings in the car part and carrier, respeetively, and the inside of said hooks forming bearings engageable with journals in the ear part and carrier, respectively.

ARTHUR E. SMALL. 

